Wreckage from missing Flight MS804 found in southern Mediterranean

EgyptAir has said that debris from missing Flight 804 has been found in the search area south of the island of Crete. Discovery of the wreckage, which is likely to belong to the plane, has also been confirmed by the Greek and Egyptian authorities.

UPDATE: Ahmed Adel, EgyptAir vice president, has retracted his earlier statement confirming that wreckage of the missing plane had been found by Greek authorities.

“We stand corrected on finding the wreckage, because what we identified is not a part of our plane. So the search and rescue is still going on,” Adel said in an interview with CNN.

EgyptAir had said in an earlier statement that Egypt’s civil aviation minister had received an official letter from the minister of foreign affairs confirming that debris from the aircraft had been found.

from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declaring the finding of wreckage of the missing aircraft No. MS 804

At the same time, Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed that Greek authorities had found “floating materials” that allegedly are wreckage and life vests from the missing flight, as reported by Reuters.

Egyptian Envoy to France Ehab Badawy also confirmed that Greece has informed Egypt about the discovery in the search area of white and blue wreckage likely belonging to Flight 804.

"All I will say is that our embassy in Athens told us that it was contacted by Greek authorities who signalled that they found white and blue debris corresponding to EgyptAir's colours," Badawy told BFM television.

"I can't confirm it is the debris, but it would be reasonable to think it is the debris of this plane," he added, as cited by Reuters.

Later, however, Greek defence sources denied to Reuters having discovered blue and white debris from the EgyptAir plane.